Operational Narrative for Mission 057, 08AUG44

HEADQUARTERS 486TH BOMBARDMENT GROUP (H) A.P.O. 559
9 August 1944
SUBJECT:	Report of Operations Officer - Mision of 8 August 1944, Target - Gun Implacement Area at St. Sylvain, France.
TO :	Commanding Officer, 486th Bombardment Group (H).
486A Group
1.	General Narrative: Twenty six (26) a/c to comprise the 92A CW. Were scheduled for the day's mission. Thirteen (13) a/c to make up the 486A group, which flew as the lead group and thirteen (13) a/c to make up the 486B Group, which flew as the low group. After a half hour's delay in take-off time, all a/c were airborne between 0910 and 0941 hours. An instrument ascent of 1000 ft. was made after which a manual assembly, at 6,000 ft., around Buncher #22, was completed at 1000 hours. At 1035 hours, the wing was one (1) mile left of splasher #7 and the 13th CW could be seen about 3 minutes ahead of the group.
	The English coast was crossed at 1138 hours, on course, at an altitude of 11,000 ft. The briefed time and course was made good crossing the channel and the French coast was crossed at 1201 hours, four (4) miles right of Cherbourg. At 1215 hours the group was over Coutances, which was covered by an overcast. Due to this and interference from other formations, the I.P. was overshot. Just past the I.P. the group broke out of the undercast and were [sic] able to use pinpoint navigation to make the bombing run. At 1235 hours bombs were away on a magnetic heading of 071ö and an altitude of 12,200 ft. The bombardier dropped on what he believed to be the target but the photos later showed the bombs to be far short of the assigned target. A thorough investigation of this was made and the following conclusions were arrived at as explanations of the bombs dropping short: haze in the target area, intereference by a group of B-17's on the bombing run, and an error in target identification on the part of the bombardier. In going through the overcase the 486A Group and 486B Group became separated, with the exception of the high flight of the 486B Group which tacked on the 486A Group and bombed with them, uncovering to the to the right.
	A turn to the left, after bombs away, to the rally point was interferred with by a group turning across our course. This forced the group slightly to th eleft of the briefed course. On the return the French Coast was crossed at 1241 hours slightly to the left of the briefed course at 49ö19'N, 00ö22'W. The course across the channel was as briefed and the English coast was crossed at Selsey Dill at 1315 hours. Course was set for the base which was reached at 1339 hours and landing was accomplished from 1351 hours to 1417 hours.
	The enemy fighters were encountered and only very few friendly fighters were seen. Flak encountrered in the target area was accurate and of the light tracking type. Several ships suffered minor damage although none were lost.
	There was haze in the target area and a complete undercast in the vicinity of the pre-I.P. extending to the south of the I.P.
2.	Summary of Lost Aircraft: None
486B GROUP
1.	General Narrative: Assembly, routes and times of the 486A Group, up to the pre-I.P., apply also to the 486B Group.
	Just before the pre-I.P., a layer of stratus cloud cut off the high right flight and separated the group from the 486A Group. As soon as the group came out of the clouds a heading straight for the target area was set. Bombs were away at 1258 hours, on a magnetic heading of 064ö, and an altitude of 10,500 ft. Bombing results were good.
	The enemy coast was crossed at 1246 hours, five minutes late. The briefed course was made good crossing the channel and the English Coast was crossed at Selsey Dill one (1) minute late.
	Course was set for the base which was reached at 1355 hours.
	Landing times are incorporated in the 486A Group narrative.
2.	Aircraft Not Attacking: Ten (10) a/c of the 486A Group dropped on the lead plane. Three (3) a/c comprising the high right flight bombed with the 486A Group.
3.	Summary of Lost Aircraft: None.
		RICHARD B. UHLE, Major, Air Corps, Operations Officer.